---
name: "Garry McDonald"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/garry-mcdonald"
fi1m_id: "garry-mcdonald"
imdb_id: "nm0567769"
tmdb_id: 12211
wikidata_id: "Q5524187"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "30 October 1948"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 78
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-26T17:59:30.286632+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Garry McDonald

## Identity

Garry McDonald

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/garry-mcdonald
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** garry-mcdonald
- **IMDb ID:** nm0567769
- **TMDB ID:** 12211
- **Wikidata ID:** Q5524187
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_McDonald, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5524187, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0567769/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12211

Actor. Born 30 October 1948 in Bondi, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 30 October 1948, Bondi, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- **Active:** 2001–2002
- **Average Fi1m score:** 78, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_McDonald, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5524187, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0567769/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12211

## Biography

Garry McDonald is an Australian actor, comedian and satirist. Born on 30 October 1948 in Bondi, Sydney, he trained at the National Institute of Dramatic Art and began his career in the late 1960s.

He is best known for creating the character Norman Gunston on television in the 1970s, for which he received a Gold Logie award, and for his role as Arthur Beare in the sitcom *Mother and Son* (1984–1994). His film credits include *Picnic at Hanging Rock* (1975), *The Pirate Movie* (1982), *Moulin Rouge!* (2001) as The Doctor, *Rabbit-Proof Fence* (2002), *Burning Man* (2011) and *The Light Between Oceans* (2016). He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2003 for services to the arts and mental health advocacy.

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Rabbit-Proof Fence* (2002), Fi1m 80, as Mr. Neal at Moore River — [page](https://film.one/film/rabbit-proof-fence.md)
- *Moulin Rouge!* (2001), Fi1m 75, as The Doctor — [page](https://film.one/film/moulin-rouge.md)

## Complete filmography (34)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Light Between Oceans* (2016), as Bill Graysmark
- *Being Venice* (2013), as Arthur
- *Burning Man* (2011), as Dr. Burgess
- *A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne* (2011), as Tony Byrne
- *The King* (2007), as Nicky Whitta
- *Stepfather of the Bride* (2006), as Ari
- *BlackJack: Dead Memory* (2006), as James
- *Two Twisted* (2006), series, as Norm
- *The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant* (2005), series, as Reverend Johnson
- *The Rage in Placid Lake* (2003), as Doug Lake
- *Bad Cop, Bad Cop* (2002), series, as Howard Mays
- *Rabbit-Proof Fence* (2002), as Mr. Neal at Moore River — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/rabbit-proof-fence.md)
- *Moulin Rouge!* (2001), as The Doctor — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/moulin-rouge.md)
- *Love Is a Four Letter Word* (2001), series, Actor
- *Mr. Accident* (2000), as Kelvin Chevalier
- *All Saints* (1998), series, as Dave Armstrong
- *Fallen Angels* (1997), series, as Malcolm Lucas
- *Halifax f.p.* (1994), series, as Alex Goodson
- *Eggshells* (1991), series, Actor
- *Struck by Lightning* (1990), as Ollie Rennie
- *Those Dear Departed* (1987), as Max Falcon
- *Playing Beatie Bow* (1986), Music
- *Wills & Burke* (1985), as Robert O'Hara Burke
- *Banduk* (1985), as Mr. Kool
- *Second Time Lucky* (1984), Original Music Composer
- *Mother and Son* (1984), series, as Arthur Beare
- *Molly* (1983), as Jones
- *Ginger Meggs* (1982), as Mr. John Meggs
- *The Pirate Movie* (1982), as Sergeant / Inspector
- *The Picture Show Man* (1977), as Lou
- *Picnic at Hanging Rock* (1975), as Const. Jones — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/picnic-at-hanging-rock.md)
- *Avengers of the Reef* (1973), Actor
- *The Aunty Jack Show* (1972), series, Actor
- *Snake Gully With Dad 'N' Dave* (1972), series, Actor

## Awards

### Other awards — 1 won

- Officer of the Order of Australia 2003: Officer of the Order of Australia (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/garry-mcdonald